Size
wingspan 70-98 mm; male considerably smaller than female
Identification
Adult: forewing speckled gray with black zigzag PM and ST lines that sometimes touch; reniform spot represented by a black discal dot; AM line black, jagged, but does not touch reniform spot; hindwing white with diffuse dark median line, black discal spot, and varying amounts of pink at base and along inner margin
Season
adults fly from July to September
Food
larvae feed on leaves of pine (Pinus spp.)
adults do not feed
Life Cycle
Two years are required to complete development. Second- or third-stage caterpillars overwinter the first year in tight clusters, resume feeding in the spring, pupate in June or July, and spend the second winter in underground pupation chambers lined with silk and plant litter. Some can remain in the pupal stage for up to 5 years before emerging as adults.
[copied from text at butterfliesandmoths.org]
Remarks
Larvae are prepared and eaten by Paiute natives in California (
read account at Wikipedia).
See Also
Lusk's Pine Moth (
Coloradia luski) forewing has AM line that touches reniform spot (
compare images of both species by Jim Vargo at MPG)
Internet References
pinned adult image and species account (Jeff Miller, Macromoths of Northwest Forests and Woodlands, USGS)
pinned adult image by Paul Opler, plus US distribution map and species account (mothsandbutterflies.org)
pinned adult image plus photos of related species by Jim Vargo (Moth Photographers Group)
live larva images and species account (USDA Forest Service)
Contributed by
Robin McLeod on 25 July, 2007 - 5:59pm
Last updated 29 July, 2007 - 3:41pm
